FAQ

Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean southwest of India. The Sri Lanka Standard Time is GMT/UTC + 5½ hours.

The quickest way to reach Sri Lanka is by plane: you can reach our location by landing in Colombo at Bandaranaike International Airport, in the Southern part of the island.

Yes. Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months past your arrival date. You can get a 30-day tourist visa directly on your arrival at the airport, but you will need to fill in and request an ETA permit online, before your departure. Check your country’s regulations on Sri Lankan Visa well before your arrival (www.immigration.gov.lk)

The Sri Lankan currency is the Sri Lankan rupee (Rs, LKR). Any bank or exchange bureau will change major currencies in cash, including US dollars, euros and British pounds. You can directly withdraw rupees from ATMs: this is the quickest and most efficient way, but be aware that you won’t be able to find many in rural areas. Check the current monetary exchange value before your arrival.

The languages spoken in Sri Lanka are Sinhala, Tamil and English.

Yes, It is essential to stipulate an insurance before travelling to cover against theft, loss, illness or injury. If your standard health insurance doesn’t cover you for medical expenses abroad, get extra insurance. If you are uninsured, emergency rempatriation is expensive, and bills of more than US $100,000 are not uncommon.

Sri Lanka’s population practises a variety of religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianism. Accordingly, rituals and practices coincide with public holidays, take a look at the local calendar and join in the celebration!

Sri Lanka’s population, known for its warm hospitality, comprises different ethnic and religious groups. The culture is built upon modesty, politeness, conservative behaviour and clothing. So what does that mean for travellers? Respect and tolerance towards the welcoming culture.

Some recommended items: Basic first aid kit and generic prescriptions. A good pair of earplugs. Effective DEET free mosquito repellent – hard to find here. Ocean Friendly Sunscreen – another hard-to-find item. Feminine hygiene products – nearly impossible to find outside Colombo. Extra phone-charging cables – difficult to find in remote areas. Biodegradable Wet Wipes. Hand sanitiser. Power Bank. Some recommended clothing items: Shorts and a T-shirt will work most of the time, but bathing suits and bikinis are never proper off tourist beaches. Bring a cover-up for shoulders and arms, and a long skirt, sarong or light pants for visiting temples. For the elements, a super-lightweight waterproof jacket or poncho is useful in case of sudden downpours, and a warm layer if spending time high up in the temperate mountains.

Sri Lanka’s weather is known to be highly humid and hot, especially near the coast. Please bring some sunscreen and avoid direct sunlight between noon and 15:00. Drink plenty of water and put a hat to prevent sunstrokes.

LIST OF FOREIGN EMBASSIES: https://www.srilanka.travel/foreign-embassies LIST OF EMERGENCY NUMBERS: https://www.srilanka.travel/emergency-services NUMBER OF TOURISM CENTER: https://www.srilanka.travel/contact-details

There will be a Medical Team at the festival, ready to help at all the time. Minor treatments will be for free, for more complex procedures as well as a stay in the hospital, your insurance will have to pay. Don’t hesitate to call for help in case of any emergency.

Kids are welcome at Shankra Festival, and you can register them in advance on our website: they will receive a special wristband. In the Children’s Area, you can find certified carers who will entertain kids with plenty of activities. However, you are responsible for them and at least one parent has to be present all the time in the Area. Parenting is about responsibility: kids rely on you! In order to assure the maximum safety, we want to highlight that the festival environment could be really stressful for babies under the age of 2 years old, therefore we suggest you to leave them in good care at home.

Few places have as many Unesco World Heritage Sites packed into such a small area. Take your time to visit the numerous locations of the country. Make sure you arrange your visit considering the trip to the festival location, which is situated in the Northern part of Sri Lanka

Guesthouses and hotels provide the majority of places where to sleep in Sri Lanka. In rural areas, almost every place has a guesthouse. Experience the local culture. Often guesthouses are run by family and locals can’t wait to welcome you and show you around. Almost every place to stay will serve meals.

Traveling on public transport is a choice between buses and trains: both are cheap and can be exciting and entertaining. Many locals speak some English, so you may have some enjoyable interactions. Public transports are always very crowded, so remember to book your ticket in advance: most stations have helpful information windows where English is spoken. Remember that space-wise, a train ride is almost always more relaxed than a bus ride. Bikes are also an ideal way to explore the Northern and Eastern area via the lightly travelled roads typical of these regions. More and more hotels and guesthouses have bicycles that guests can hire. If you want to explore more rural areas on your own time, you can hire a car and even a driver. Hitchhiking is never entirely safe, and Sri Lanka’s cheap fares make it an unnecessary option. We don’t recommend it, and travellers who do choose to hitch are at their own risk. Three-wheelers, known in other parts of Asia as tuk-tuks, bajajs or autorickshaws, are waiting on nearly every corner. Use your best bargaining skills and agree on the fare before you hop on.

Sri Lankan cuisine is regarded as one of the tastiest in the world. It’s flavoursome, healthy, and influenced by its proximity to India and by generous spices. Many Sri Lankans are vegetarian, so meat-free eating is easy, and vegetables are plentiful. Some useful general advice: eat only freshly cooked food, avoid shellfish and buffets if you’re not sure of their freshness, peel fruit, cook vegetables, ask the level of spiciness before ordering food; they like it hot! Tap water is not safe to drink. We recommend buying a reusable purification bottle to avoid plastic consumption, or use filtered water:. Look for the small round ‘SLSI’ logo, which shows the water has been tested by the government’s Sri Lanka Standards Institution.

Medical care, and its cost, is hugely variable in Sri Lanka. Embassies and consulates often have lists of recommended medical services. Elsewhere in Sri Lanka, hotels and guesthouses can usually steer you to a local doctor for at least initial treatment.

Yes, you can book your tent here: www.easystayswiss.ch

The camping site for tents is in the centre of the festival grounds! You will be able to set up your tent in the designated areas and easily reach all the different dance floors and sites. Please note that to respect Nature and safety regulation, camping is allowed ONLY in the dedicated areas. Please remember how many hooks you dug in and tear them all out again when you leave.

The caravan campsite will be at the caravan park, where all services (WCs, showers, water points) are provided. In order to preserve the festival grounds and allow all participants to set up tents, caravans are not permitted inside the festival grounds.

The festival environment can be really stressful for our pet friends. In order to respect their health and safety, we ask you to leave them at home: they are not allowed on the festival ground. Dogs are allowed in the caravan campsite, only if guarded properly.

There will be plenty of charging points for electrical devices. We recommend to always keep an eye on your device if charging, as they can be easily misplaced or get lost.

We do not allow wildfires and gas stoves in the campsite, however, you are able to cook in the caravan campsite. Caravan-owners are requested to use tested gas plants only if there is a valid proofing paper. There will be amazing food shops with a diverse offer of tasty meals, healthy snacks and fresh juices.

To protect the wonderful home land of Shankra Festival and to assure everybody’s safety, we do not allow to bring glass bottles.

There will be designated areas for garbage. We kindly ask you to select your garbage and recycle what you could use again. We all care a great lot for Nature! The wonderful home of Shankra Festival is generally used by farmers and lived by many animals: don’t be selfish and keep it clean. We will have many toilets, do not use fields or trees as your own private toilet: there are other people around you who want to enjoy the clean grass!

Of course! Remember that one single cigarette butt pollutes more than 300 litres of fresh water and could eventually end up on our plates, in your drinking bottles. Be conscious about your impact on Nature!

The camping site for tents is in the centre of the festival grounds! You will be able to set up your tent in the designated areas and easily reach all the different dance floors and sites. Please note that, in order to respect nature and safety regulation, camping is allowed ONLY in dedicated areas. Please remember how many hooks you dug in and tear them all out again when you leave.

The caravan campsite will be at the caravan park, where all services (WCs, showers, water points) are provided. In order to preserve the festival grounds and allow all participants to set up tents, caravans are not allowed inside the festival grounds.

Shankra Festival does not provide a renting service for tents, however, we encourage to publish your request on our Facebook event page as there are many participants who might have tents to share.

We want to offer you the most diverse experience possible: you will find delicious local meals, vegan and vegetarian options together with a variety of dishes from all over the world. Don’t be afraid and try new flavours!

You will find local handcrafts and Sri Lankan small treasures, as well as clothing, jewellery and curiosities from international producers and sellers.